The Center Slice of the Tomato

My husband and a tomato taught me a very valuable lesson about living a bodacious life. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t what he meant to do but lessons show up in interesting disguises.

We were working together in the kitchen, collaborating on a couple of sandwiches. As I was slicing the big, ripe, beefsteak tomato he pointed out I should be slicing it so that we would each get a center slice.

Now this may not be a revelation to anyone else, but prior to that moment I would have started slicing at one end and used the slices as they came. I would have bagged up the rest of the tomato and put it in the fridge to be used for the salad or whatever came next. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to take the best slices first.

Shortly thereafter we were eating at our favorite prime rib restaurant. Prior to the tomato revelation I would have carefully eaten the edges of the prime rib and been able to eat only a small portion of the tender center. That would have gone home in a doggy bag. While the dog never saw a bite of the leftovers, somehow I seldom did either. This time I went for the best part of the prime rib. Any left overs were now the less desirable parts (still delicious though.) I’ve approached every meal this way ever since.

I bet, especially if you’re a parent or loving spouse, you are not in the habit of taking the best parts for yourself. I challenge you to reconsider this. Why shouldn’t you?

I admit I struggle with this. When preparing a meal and one piece of fish is done a little better than another, or one bowl of ice cream is bigger than the other my first impulse is to give the “better” one to my husband. Why? Because to do otherwise is what; selfish, greedy? But wait…I’m to one doing the work. I did the cooking. I got up from my nice comfortable recliner to serve the ice cream – he could but he doesn’t. So why shouldn’t I keep the better one once in awhile?

I figure I got it right when I can’t remember which one was the “better” one by the time I serve it but that’s beside the point. The point is I am, you are, every bit as entitled to the best as anyone else. You are worth it.

So take the center slice of the tomato. Eat the best part of the steak. Keep the bigger bowl of ice cream. Eat the last of the Girl Scout cookies when he isn’t home. Doesn’t he do that to you, or is that only at my house?

Claiming your worth is a big part of becoming a Bodacious Bad-ass Old Broad. It’s woven through all 6 stages of the program because there are so many places in our lives, both big and small, where we don’t. So if you’re struggling with deserving of the best, the center slice of the tomato, then Living PlayFULLY: The Road to Bodacious could be just the program you’re looking for. Contact me for more details.

If you’re already a Bodacious Bad-ass Old Broad, or want to hang out with some, check out the Adventure Club to see what’s brewing.

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